Murder at Deviation Junction

It is December 1909 and Jim Stringer has been a railway detective based in York for three years in which time he has been generally charged with tracking fare dodgers and lost baggage swindlers. On a fruitless return trip back to York from Middlesbrough (via Whitby) where he had been pursuing a football midfielder who had assaulted an opposition player, the train that he was on hits a snowdrift in the frozen Cleveland Hills. In the process of clearing the line a body is discovered in an unused siding. Being the first detective on the scene Stringer decides to investigate despite it being off his patch geographically and in conflict with his bullying boss. Stringer is up for promotion but his faltering career could hinge on whether or show more not he can solve the murder, but he soon finds himself fighting not for his job but also for his life. The trail leads to a group of men who previously travelled the Whitby line in the exclusive confines of their own Club class carriage and takes Stringer to London's Fleet Street and the Highlands of Scotland.

Despite being set in 1909 Jim Stringer seems to be beset by numerous modern afflictions: a social-climbing wife, career uncertainties, financial worries and daydreams about elastic boots, (you will just have to read the book to learn more about that one).

This is the fourth book in the series and as with the previous releases the crime seems secondary to Martin's real interest the Edwardian railway, in fact the diversions to both London and the Highlands seemed little more than an excuse to explore distant rail services. But on the whole the writing is tight and engaging and the series is a decent enough escapism. show less

The fourth installment in the Jim Stringer [Railway Detective] series. Jim is on a winter's trip with his family when the train makes an unscheduled stop and a body is uncovered.

We have moved on a couple of years, Stringer is up for promotion, but is up against his direct superior, who would prefer to see him shuffling papers. Stringer should be on the trail of a football thug, but can't keep away from the mysterious circumstances surrounding the discovered body of man who apparently committed suicide. As in previous books, Stringer jumps blindly into danger, following the trail of 5 men caught on film by the dead man, taking him to London and even as far north as Inverness.

Jim is showing his frustration about being so near the show more railways, but yet not allowed to drive the trains, but his growing family is banking on his promotion. His wife, Lydia, is moving up in the Co-operative, intent on bringing the family up, not helped by a drunk Jim pitching up at her Christmas do. I still wish the author would give Lily more print, as she is a great character.

The series is still entertaining for me, the trains and the penny dreadful style. It is a gentle mystery, one for a quiet afternoon on the sofa. Number 5 beckons. show less

The fourth in the railway detective series. Once again it is quite ordinary, slow-moving, sedate and quaint, and that perhaps is its attraction. It's not a "whodunit" but the plot does keep you guessing a bit. And there are hints of how staid old Jim Stringer tries to spice up his sex life.

“Murder at Deviation Junction” is a genuinely good read, and follows enjoyably in the footsteps of other fusions of railroads and murder, such as “Murder on the Orient Express” and “North by Northwest”. It may not be such a glamorous picture of travelling by train as these other, later, works, but shows the combination of crime and the steady relentless progress offered by the railway is one, when well done, consistently works.

For full review please see: http://southlondonbook.blogspot.com/2009/08/murder-at-deviation-junction-andrew....

This was an OK read, Jim Stringer is still a railway detective out of York and the mystery element kind of worked. The best I can say about this book is that it passed the time, but I won't be in a hurry to read any more books written by this author.